THE CREATIVE BAKER PAYS TRIBUTE TO A CHAMP
New Bread - Pan de Ocho de Pacquiao - Set to Launch in California
By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ
Member, Asian American Journalists Association
TORONTO - Manny Pacquiao's winning his record eighth crown has guaranteed the immortality of the many bread products and fruit drink created in his honor in America's unofficial capital of the Philippines.
The Filipino champion may have lent his name to many products he owns or has developed but in San Diego County's National City, Pacquiao's name is affixed to special breads that businesswoman Wilma Fernandez Ventura has created to celebrate his many victories.
For example, until Ventura came up with Brazo de Pacquiao, the only brazo carries a female name, as in Brazo de Mercedes. Now, Brazo de Pacquiao is the male counterpart that also evokes masculinity and agility.
It's one of the many items that's pushing sales and fanning popularity of Ventura's The Original Richard's Bakery, a famous business landmark in National City, which is home to the largest Filipino population in the United States.
The city that borders the City of San Diego and is about 15 miles to the frontier with Mexico has a population under 100,000. About one-fifth, or 20 percent, are Filipinos or Americans of Filipino descent.
A big chunk of Filipino businesses is also based in National City, a fact recognized by everyone at City Hall.
When former President Fidel V. Ramos visited in early October, National City Mayor Ron Morrison welcomed him with these words: "Welcome to the unofficial capital of the Philippines in America".
It's not surprising, therefore, that the only bread recognition ever given to Pacquiao comes from a Filipino bakery based in National City.
In March when he won his seventh title in Texas, Ventura, also known as "The Creative Baker," invented the Siete Coronas de Pacquiao, a special bread shaped like a giant 7.
That was followed by another, Brazo de Pacquiao and still another, the Pan de Pacquiao. Earlier on in his boxing bouts that he easily won, Ventura was so inspired and moved to create a fruit combination called Pacquiao Punch.
Ventura is now poised to come up with another bread that would reflect Pacquiao's victories.
Contacted for comment in San Diego, Ventura said she has in mind "Pan de Ocho de Pacquiao" that would take the appearance of a big number 8. The bread is glazed on top to make it shiny and stuffed with reasonable amounts of Bavarian cream for that distinct taste.
Ventura has been readying this latest addition in the last weeks in anticipation of a Pacquiao win. The finished product would be marketed at $3.99 per piece starting on Monday at her bakery.
"It's incredible that Manny Pacquiao now has eight boxing titles. I am so proud of him," Ventura said in a phone interview.
The Original Richard's Bakery shot to national prominence when Ventura created the popular Obama Pan de Sal which she launched on the day Barack Obama took his oath as the 44th president of the United States in January last year.
From then on, Ventura's creative juices continued to flow. Her bakery's many bread products became the outlet for her creative streak.
The bakery has an array of Ventura's inventions, namely: the Pacquiao breads, Obama Pan de Sal, Genesis Loaf (named after Filipina movie actress Genesis, aka Patricia Javier), the Reyna Bibingka ng America (named after Imelda, Gloria and Cory).
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